Sex differences in patterns of drug taking behaviour: A study at a London community drug team

M GOSSOP; P GRIFFITHS; J STRANG

Sex differences in patterns of drug taking behaviour: A study at a London community drug team

M GOSSOP^*, P GRIFFITHS, J STRANG

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

58 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study investigates sex differences in patterns of drug taking and related injecting and sexual behaviour among 355 patients attending a London community drug team. The majority of cases attending the service presented with heroin problems. Men were more likely to use heroin by injection and women were more likely to use heroin by inhaling/smoking ('chasing the dragon'); there was no sex difference in the overall incidence of needle sharing. The delay between first use of the problem drug and first presentation to services was the same for both men and women. Women were more likely to have a sexual partner who was a drug user and to be living with another user than men. This closer social attachment to other drug users was seen as presenting a high risk factor for women with regard to prognosis and treatment.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	101-104
Number of pages	4
Journal	British Journal of Psychiatry
Volume	164
Publication status	Published - Jan 1994

Keywords

ADDICT CAREERS
OPIATE ADDICTS
WOMEN

Cite this

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title = "Sex differences in patterns of drug taking behaviour: A study at a London community drug team",

abstract = "This study investigates sex differences in patterns of drug taking and related injecting and sexual behaviour among 355 patients attending a London community drug team. The majority of cases attending the service presented with heroin problems. Men were more likely to use heroin by injection and women were more likely to use heroin by inhaling/smoking ('chasing the dragon'); there was no sex difference in the overall incidence of needle sharing. The delay between first use of the problem drug and first presentation to services was the same for both men and women. Women were more likely to have a sexual partner who was a drug user and to be living with another user than men. This closer social attachment to other drug users was seen as presenting a high risk factor for women with regard to prognosis and treatment.",

keywords = "ADDICT CAREERS, OPIATE ADDICTS, WOMEN",

author = "M GOSSOP and P GRIFFITHS and J STRANG",

year = "1994",

month = jan,

language = "English",

volume = "164",

pages = "101--104",

journal = "British Journal of Psychiatry",

issn = "0007-1250",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex differences in patterns of drug taking behaviour

T2 - A study at a London community drug team

AU - GOSSOP, M

AU - GRIFFITHS, P

AU - STRANG, J

PY - 1994/1

Y1 - 1994/1

N2 - This study investigates sex differences in patterns of drug taking and related injecting and sexual behaviour among 355 patients attending a London community drug team. The majority of cases attending the service presented with heroin problems. Men were more likely to use heroin by injection and women were more likely to use heroin by inhaling/smoking ('chasing the dragon'); there was no sex difference in the overall incidence of needle sharing. The delay between first use of the problem drug and first presentation to services was the same for both men and women. Women were more likely to have a sexual partner who was a drug user and to be living with another user than men. This closer social attachment to other drug users was seen as presenting a high risk factor for women with regard to prognosis and treatment.

AB - This study investigates sex differences in patterns of drug taking and related injecting and sexual behaviour among 355 patients attending a London community drug team. The majority of cases attending the service presented with heroin problems. Men were more likely to use heroin by injection and women were more likely to use heroin by inhaling/smoking ('chasing the dragon'); there was no sex difference in the overall incidence of needle sharing. The delay between first use of the problem drug and first presentation to services was the same for both men and women. Women were more likely to have a sexual partner who was a drug user and to be living with another user than men. This closer social attachment to other drug users was seen as presenting a high risk factor for women with regard to prognosis and treatment.

KW - ADDICT CAREERS

KW - OPIATE ADDICTS

KW - WOMEN

UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7993406

M3 - Comment/debate

SN - 0007-1250

VL - 164

SP - 101

EP - 104

JO - British Journal of Psychiatry

JF - British Journal of Psychiatry

ER -

Sex differences in patterns of drug taking behaviour: A study at a London community drug team

Abstract

Keywords

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